BERLIN: Bundesliga club Hoffenheim have surprisingly appointed 28-year-old Julian Nagelsmann, who has yet to pass his senior coaching exams, as their manager from next season, which will make him the youngest ever Bundesliga head coach. The club sacked Markus Gisdol on Monday, appointing 61-year-old Bundesliga veteran Huub Stevens as his successor until the end of the campaign, with the Dutchman tasked with keeping struggling Hoffenheim up. 'We know this is a courageous step but we see in him (Nagelsmann) such a huge coaching talent that we want to give him a prospect,' Hoffenheim sports director Alexander Rosen told a news conference at Stevens' presentation. He said Nagelsmann had been given a three-year deal. Briefly an assistant coach during the 2012/13 campaign, Nagelsmann will remain with the Under-19 team until the end of the season as he continues studying for his senior coaching licence. 'I am looking forward to a very tempting task and I would like to thank everybody for the trust and the opportunity given to me,' Nagelsmann, who coached Hoffenheim's junior team to the 2014 German title, said in a club statement. Hoffenheim, backed by billionaire Dietmar Hopp, are in 17th place with one win and six points from their first 10 games of the season.